The Good Wife Round Table: What Should Kalinda Do?

Following another riveting episode of the best drama on TV, editor-in-chief Matt Richenthal is joined below by fellow TV Fanatics Jeff Kirkpatrick and Carissa Pavlica. Feel free to jump in with your opinion as they dissect various aspects of "Killer Song."

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What was your favorite scene from the episode?Matt: Go back and watch Kalinda's reaction when Blake says he knows about her and Peter. There's this quick, subtle look of shock and horror on Kalinda's face. It's sudden and it's acute and it's a look we've never seen on Kalinda before, and it speaks to why Archie Panjabi is an Emmy winner.

Carissa: When Kalinda found out Blake gave an ASA the information that she slept with Peter, she called Alicia immediately. It cemented for me their friendship, considering her comfort in phoning Alicia when the topic at hand could not be revealed to Alicia.

Jeff: The scenes between Eli and his daughter are probably an obvious choice, but their tug of war over the news items and Eli's annoyed reactions to her socio-political views were priceless. It also highlighted Eli at his cynical best: "America doesn't suck. People suck."

Should Kalinda just come out and tell Alicia the truth?Matt: Of course. But only after a bottle of wine or two dozen.

Carissa: Yes. In spite of any possible aftermath, she did not know Alicia and was not the married one. She has to tell Alicia before Peter does, because to hear this about Kalinda from Peter would be far more devastating to Alicia than hearing it from someone else about Peter. Her expectations of her friendship with Kalinda are set higher than her expectations of her marriage to Peter.

Jeff: I think so. She owes Alicia the truth, especially when she already lied to her when asked point blank in the past. If there is any chance of maintaining a relationship, Alicia needs to hear it from Kalinda and no one else. Alicia will be angry, but she has already proven herself a forgiving person. I think she has the capacity to put herself in the other's place and understand the circumstances. Kalinda was clearly desperate to eliminate her identity for whatever reason, and Peter obviously took advantage of her desperation. Kalinda was almost as much a victim as Alicia.

Preference for Cary: as a friend or foe of Lockhart/Gardner?Matt: Neither. He was never a friend to the firm before and he isn't a foe now. What makes this show so unique among primetime dramas is its ability to paint its characters with a layered, grey brush. Cary hasn't changed a bit from his days of working with Alicia to his time now working against her. He's just been doing his job all along.

Carissa: Friend. The fabulous trio of Alicia/Kalinda and Cary is what makes the show such a pleasure for me to watch. I truly believe that lawyers working together achieve better results for their clients than when they are fighting against each other without regard for the actual people being represented in their cases.

Jeff: Friend all the way, although Cary will always be out for himself. When he was at L&G before, he blended a perfect combo of smarm and charm, and that's what I miss. As an ASA, he's done a great job and has held high moral standards with regard to his cases, even if he's had a darker and more sinister agenda to stick it to his former bosses. He'll likely never be best pals with anyone at L&G, save for perhaps Kalinda, but I like seeing him on the same side of the table with our favorite firm.

Who ended up winning the quasi air hockey game between Zach and Grace?Matt: I gotta go with Zach. Assuming this game did continue after dinner, he probably asked her what Jesus would do, got her off on a bible rant and took advantage of her distracted demeanor. He probably won a close contest by two or three goals.

Carissa: If you take into consideration their father was late for dinner because he was covering up another lie about his past, they both lost.

Jeff: To be honest, I was so fixated on Alicia and her happy exterior that I didn't really pay much attention to Zach and Grace. But I like Carissa's answer.

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Old Hen•April 01, 2011 20:20

Why would Alicia divorce Peter to go with Will a lying thief and god knows what else, at least since the start of season one Peter has been a perfect husband and father. Will has shown quite a few over the line and back stabbing deals with his demeanor and actions.

Kalinda is not the cheater. The 'other woman' is not accountable for anything, only the husband is committed! Anyway, I think Alicia should have divorced Peter the second she realised she is in love with Will: what's the point with staying married when you're in love with someone else? That's the point I don't understand

Melissa•April 01, 2011 17:26

I agree that Peter and Kalinda should be both be accountable however Peter more so because he was the married one. And I completely agree with Matt. I watch a show for good acting and writing, not because I agree or disagree with the moral decisions a character makes. Why would you want a show to be cancelled because you didn't agree with a storyline? And this also seems to be an unfair double standard against Alicia. Why would you be ok with the show portraying Peter (as well as other characters) doing immoral things but not ok if Alicia asked her husband for a divorce?

@Nikki: There is a difference here. Peter had an obligation/commitment to Alicia at the time. You're overlooking the fact that Kalinda and Alicia were NOT friends when the former slept with Peter.You can't really be suggesting that CBS cancel a show because you disagree with a character's decision, can you? The Good Wife treads in grey areas all the time, it's what makes it so unique and also so realistic.

GW1001•April 01, 2011 12:03

@CarissaJust curious...Are you saying that if you a single woman sleeps with a married man, it is all his fault and the woman bears no responsibility for it? Kalinda knew Peter was married and she slept with him anyway. She, too, is in the wrong. Also, Alicia knew Peter cheated and she has forgiven him for his past. However, with Kalinda now being her friend, I have a feeling Alicia is going to have a harder time forgiving either Kalinda or Peter for this particular affair. They should have told her early on and not let it get to this point.

@nikki - Just curious, why should Kalinda be held accountable when she was not married? In order to cheat, you have to be committed. He, clearly, was. So, if Alicia at some point decides she has had enough, there is no one to blame but Peter. However, the show ain't called The Good Wife for nothin'! ;-)

nikki•March 31, 2011 23:06

Peter didn"t take advantage of Kalinda. She is no victim. She had sex with a married man. It makes her just like any other whore Peter had sex with. She is even worse. If Alicia forgives Kalinda but leaves Peter, I hope the show gets cancelled.